Hanley Ramirez Not Under Federal Investigation

SUNDAY: Ramirez is not under federal investigation and has not been connected to any drug ring, Shelley Murphy and Evan Allen of the Boston Globe report. Rather, Ramirez’s friend – who was arrested in April while transporting fentanyl from New York to Massachusetts – mentioned the player’s name “to get the cops off his back, which didn’t work,” the friend’s attorney informed Murphy and Allen.

Ramirez’s agent, Adam Katz, responded Sunday, saying (via Bob Nightengale of USA Today, on Twitter): “The reporting on Hanley’s involvement in this matter was reckless and irresponsible. It’s unfortunate that one careless, inaccurate story can generate such widespread negative and damaging coverage. Hanley is pleased to be absolved from wrongdoing and having any involvement in this matter.”

FRIDAY: Long-time major-leaguer Hanley Ramirez is “being eyed” in relation to a broader federal and state drug investigation, Michele McPhee of ABC News and Newsweek reports on Twitter. The precise nature of the Ramirez’s involvement is not yet entirely clear; at present, it’s not even apparent whether he is viewed as a potential suspect of any kind by authorities, and he has not been charged with any crimes.

Ramirez’s agent, Adam Katz, issued a statement to media members including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). He asserts that “Hanley has no knowledge of any of the allegations contained in this media report and he is not aware of any investigation.”

McPhee, a veteran crime reporter, explained in an appearance on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub (audio link) that a man (not Ramirez) was found by police to be carrying in his vehicle a large volume of drugs — specifically, fentanyl and crack cocaine. She continued to report that the man, who was later arrested and charged, “claimed that one of the items found in the vehicle belonged to Hanley Ramirez and then FaceTimed [Ramirez] in front of police.”

The suspect is evidently also linked to a broader Lawrence, Massachusetts fentanyl ring that has been the subject of a significant, ongoing investigation. Tom Cleary of Heavy.com dug up some related criminal complaints that seem to line up with the reporting. None of those documents mention Ramirez.

Additionally, McPhee stated in the above-linked radio interview that the incident “sparked, obviously, some contact between Ramirez and law enforcement who were working on this case.” That said, the nature and timing of that contact is not known. And there’s no real suggestion to this point that Ramirez is a subject of ongoing investigation himself.

Ramirez is currently a free agent. He opened the year with the Red Sox but was designated for assignment in late May and later released. When Ramirez was sent packing by the Boston organization, it came as a bit of a surprise. While he was slumping at the time, he had started the season well and seemed worthy of a longer leash, particularly given his hefty salary.

When the Sox decided on the move, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and manager Alex Cora gave a somewhat unusual account of the decisionmaking process. With rather atypical willingness to discuss the decision in detail, both said that Cora had suggested it’d be preferable to part with Ramirez despite plans to move another player off of the roster.

McPhee says that the above-referenced incident “coordinated with the the timing of [Ramirez’s] release from the Red Sox.” The team, though, maintains that it had no knowledge of any investigation at the time, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe tweets. The decision on Ramirez was based purely on baseball considerations, per the organization.

It’s important to note, too, that it’s still not clear whether the dates really do line up in the manner hinted at. While Ramirez was technically released on June 1st, release waivers were requested on May 30th. And he was designated for assignment — the truly consequential roster move — on May 25th. A press release indicates that the arrest of the suspect occurred on June 6th; if the car stop occurred at a prior time, the date is unreported at this point.

It has also been a topic of some note in recent weeks that Ramirez has remained unsigned for an extended stretch. Because he was released, the Red Sox are obligated to him for the $15MM or that was left on his contract for the present season. Any other club could have (and still can) acquire Ramirez’s services for the only the league-minimum rate of pay. Today’s reporting could, in theory, provide a reason for Ramirez’s still-ongoing free agency. But there’s no direct evidence for that proposition and there are certainly other conceivable explanations for the fact that he has not yet joined a new team.

Ramirez, 34, is certainly not your average major leaguer. He has played 14 seasons at the game’s highest level, earning about $160MM along the way. Early in his career, it seemed Ramirez might be on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory, though he has not been consistently productive more recently. Ramirez has generated some controversy at times for eccentric behavior, though that has never been a significant concern during periods when he has produced at the plate. What impact, if any, this still-developing situation may have on his career moving forward remains to be seen.

That caught me off guard too but for different reasons. Since when is someone in the process of being arrested for driving a car full of drugs allowed to use their personal phone to contact someone else?

You believe that crap? If that was remotely true Ramirez would definitely be under more than a cloud of suspicion.
This article was so poorly written I’m not inclined to believe much of what it contains. I am no Boston or Ramirez fan, I just believe in fairness & honest reporting. Whoever wrote that article needs to stop trying to be Tolstoy & just write the facts, stop tripping over their words.
There is ZERO proof that he did anything criminal or is involved in anything criminal at this point. To suggest something otherwise is irresponsible. MLB would be on him like flies on fresh turd in the hot sun if he was wrapped up in criminal activities. They love flexing their MLB policing/playing God muscles on their players, even before they have been charged or gone through the court system.

Boston thinks they are taking the the ring this year. They are clearing the payroll to pick up some pieces at the trade deadline to fill in the holes so they can buy the team they think can buy them a World Series win. It’s what Boston & the Yankmes do. Buy rings.

It makes “no sense” that the authorities would “tip off” Hanley Ramirez, via a “news reporter”, that they were investigating him.

Hanley could obviously destroy any incriminating material with this information.

If the authorities had anything they would just have simply arrested Hanley and kept it quiet until they did. They certainly wouldn’t have tipped off a reporter.

I think the public has the right to know the source of this reporter’s information and for the reporter to prove this report as she will likely face a defamation lawsuit if she can’t and nothing actually comes of this bizarre report.

The reporter in this case was very clear about what she was and wasn’t reporting. She did not say that Ramirez is a target, let alone that he has been charged, or that the Red Sox knew about it when he was DFA’ed.

Regarding the team, as I noted in the post, it’s not even clear that the timing does line up. (Not that it’d be conclusive proof if it did.) But certainly the club (or the reporter) could have learned of this other than from the authorities.

As far as the idea of tipping off Ramirez, if he was somehow involved in any nefarious activities, I’m sure he’d already know that his conspirators were facing charges.

Once again it’s the fact that someone is first in reporting it instead of someone having the right facts. My guess she probably knew the whole but what the heck let’s make assumptions in around about way and watch it go viral maybe I get more followers!!!!

George B, Why are people so quick to throw out the 1st Amendment these days? I am sure you have said “This is a free country” at some point in your life. Start chipping away at the very first thing the Founding Fathers put into the Constitution and you will see how long you will be able to say that.

Along the same lines, I was watching ESPN a couple of weeks ago and it was reported in the Dominican Republic by an unnamed source that Jose Ramirez(not Hanley) was going to be suspended for a failed drug test. This report and claim was actually denied by Ramirez, his Agent, and the Indians FO. MadDog actually had something quick to say about it on his show about it, so who knows.

Makes one wonder since the details don’t come out until after the player is suspended. There indeed might be something here with the Indians Ramirez after all. Aren’t there circumstances where the player is appealing his failed test and nothing can be released till after the results of the appeal?

Not really. PED’s don’t just turn you into one of the leagues best hitters overnight. But I can’t say that he’s not because I don’t know and I’m not going to start calling out every player who improves.

But with the ways they can hide positive tests, it wouldn’t shock me if over half the league was/is on PED’s at some point.

To believe this you apparently have to assume the police secretly told the Red Sox, kept it quiet, and then released the information to a reporter without arresting Hanley.

Why would the police do that? Do you have any idea how they would look if it came out that they did? Or that they told a reporter and let Hanley off the hook by not arresting him and tipping him off to possibly destroy evidence?

Cora “categorically” stated the Red Sox had no knowledge of this, his release was entirely baseball related and he hoped the information was untrue.

I have to conclude there is nothing to this report and that I would not want to be the reporter that released this information. She is going to be in big trouble if nothing comes of this.

This is what happens when someone with the ethics of a 1970’s porn director takes over the most prestigious job in the world. Every time someone in the press says something negative about him he screams “FAKE NEWS”. Now when reporters from well established reputable outlets write a story there are people that question whether it is fake or not.
Think about it for a second George. Would this reporter go to school for years, start as an intern at a small paper, work their way up to the news desk, finally land a great job at a big paper or other news source, just to finally fulfill their life’s dream of one day saying that Hanley Ramirez could be part of a drug investigation?
This story will be forgotten in a month. If a reporter decided to make something like this up the truth would come out and his/her reputation would be in tatters. As well as the reputation of the paper that they work for. Everything they say from that day forward would be questioned and they would never regain the public’s trust again.
So, before you question someone whose entire life (no to mention their co-workers and bosses) rests on their ethics, ask yourself why would they do that?
Please stop listening to Fox News so much. If every customer from a car lot but one (and that one is the salesman’s mom) says your salesman was a liar and a crook, and the salesman tells you not to listen to them because they are all liars and out to get him, who would you believe?
I apologize for not talking about baseball or the topic of the article, but attacking the 1st Amendment must always be stopped dead in its tracks. We are living in a dangerous time, I fear the quote from Star Wars “So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.” actually has a chance to come true. I could care less about politics. In my opinion they are all out for themselves. But, I love my country and the Constitution that gives me a reason to love it.

exactly if there’s an investigation the investigators most generally very quietly investigate, they are not going to release anu info that could get back to target who if they had any brains would destroy evidence

It was likely an ongoing investigation. Red Sox may have been tipped off. Most likely the guy arrested and his partners had been under investigation for awhile. The delay in the arrest papers most likely due to investigators trying to get him to name the big fish.

If Hanley involved Rico going to clean him out. Hope not but that facetime call doesnt bode well

Reminds me somewhat of Manny Alexander and the Bat Boy driving his car loaded with syringes (Manny didn’t play another MLB after the season for over 3 years) and Remys son selling steroids to another Red sox security staffer getting caught with steroids in his car (Manny Ramirez traded to Dodgers right after).

I assumed Hanley Ramirez would be picked up sometime after the all star break. Now, I don’t think he will. No team wants a remake of the Ron LeFlore’s “posse” in the clubhouse of the 1980 Montreal Expos..

Lots of peoples can’t read very well. The Red Sox DFA’d Hanley on March 25th. After waiting the week necessary, on March 30th unconditional release waivers were requested. On June 1st they were granted.
I guy in the car wasn’t arrested until June 6th, 12 days AFTER Hanley was DFA’d. How could that play in the Red Sox decision to release him? I’m sure the guy was arrested at the time of the stop when they found enough fentanyl to OD a few thousand people.

We don’t know when the investigation into this case actually began, but we can safely assume it was well before the traffic stop considering that stop was part of a joint operation between at least 3 law enforcement groups.

We also don’t know when Hanley’s name was first brought into it, and if his already having been under investigation prior was the entire reason they allowed the guy wanting to rat on Hanley to make the call.

All we know for sure is that a guy, after being stopped and at about the same time a search warrant was being enforced on his home, apparently was given the opportunity to be a cooperating witness and preceeded to give the authorities more evidence into their larger investigation.

So don’t act like everyone can’t read when in actuality, it looks as if you just didn’t stop to think things thru before running with your assumptions and condescension – as it stands, for all any of us know, Ramirez may have been under investigation for months and the police might have gone to the Red Sox about getting their help in the investigation before he was ever designated for assignment

Who says they would be “leaking” anything, thats gibberish. Contacting the Red Sox to inquire about known associates seen frequenting the ballpark very well could have happened though. Or could have contacted them about surveillance footage or phone logs or who knows what. Shoot, could have even gone with a warrent. Its not like we are talking about 7-11 employees here who can’t be trusted to cooperate without instantly filling the suspect in on things.

This was a massive, joint operation sting too – not some random stop where they happened upon drugs and started allowing the suspect to start calling his friends. But the fact they did allow him to make the call indicates Hanley was a suspect well prior to the stop. And at that point, we have no idea just who they went to for evidence/help, or just how involved anyone else is/was

We only know the reporter was told the joint task force allowed one arrested suspect to set up another suspect at a time after Hanley was already in limbo. We don’t know when he first became a person of interest, or who all the police had gone to in that investigation (including possibly asking for the Red Sox help) prior to them picking up the arrested suspect.

Like darkstar61 said, you have no idea when it happened. Cano was just recently suspended for PEDs and we all just found out about it, but the truth is, his positive test came during the offseason and Cano and others already knew about it.

The Mets should pick him up. Why not? The team’s owners are criminal – literally, according to people I know who were professionally involved with the Madoff Ponzi scheme court proceedings. Met-aphorically, because they refuse to spend despite the fact that they still are absolutely loaded. Finally, they would lose in civil court if deGrom sued them for lack of support – not quite murder, but certainly torture, which is against the law.

So there’s no reason not to add a criminal who could possibly entertain the fans a little and then possibly do something bizarre that would distract them – me – from just how pathetic their team is..

A very valid point. There is every possibility that rumors of such a nature swirling around Ramirez would be enough for Boston, who, like every other team, are all about money and projecting a false morality – players who beat their wives come back and are welcome – to let him go.

Obviously the entire report was inaccurate and the news media jumped to the inaccurate conclusions it did when the headline was “Hanley Ramirez being investigated by Federal and State authorities”.

So you think it’s OK for a reporter to slander a person without the facts?

That’s what happened here.

And if you read all of the idiotic comments this triggered you’ll understand that this kind of inaccurate reporting “must” have consequences for the perpetrators. Look at the idiotic comments like the Red Sox knew and that’s why they dumped him. The police are in conspiracy with the Red Sox feeding them privileged information or that the police would tell a reporter they were investigating someone so they could destroy evidence.

Since you are attempting to credential yourself, could you be a little more specific. What sort of “federal agent” are you? FBI, Treasury, ICE, Fish and Wildlife? While anyone can be anything on the internets at least choose which sort of federal agent you’re claiming to be. I may have some follow up questions on point.

“ . . . I got a good laugh re-reading some of those idiots that responded to George B and now look like total clowns.”

And this bizarre victory dance of yours, how do you think it makes you look.

Pardon me? I saw some guy making the ridiculous claim that he is a “federal agent”, whatever that is, and you doing a victory dance for some reason. Didn’t participate in this thread the first go round.

“Why are you making yourself one now?”

You answer mine first, why did you stop beating your wife?

You appear to be taking this issue a bit personally for some reason. But I’m not a mind reader.

Suing a journalist for reporting a story? Uh, that’s like some Soviet stuff. I do think MLBTR should take the story down simply because I assume lots of people read headlines without digging any deeper.

Just the same as players who never tested positive for PEDs still get lumped in with those who did because their names were mentioned in the same sentence. I’m not sure how much interest there was in signing Ramirez this month, but you can bet this episode – no matter how fraudulent – will cause some teams to think twice. The good news is you’re not under investigation. The bad news is you’re not under contract either.

I’m happy it was false. I was going some low life mentioned his name to take the heat off him. I did read the guy did a face time call to Hanley. But I am so happy this is the way it ends, I like Hanley, n wish he was still with them. This is a lesson for me not to make a decision before knowing all the facts. We all tend to have them guilty till proven innocent….not good.

People ‘read’ news and they still don’t understand or comprehend it. People look at covers of magazine and then they ‘think’ they understand it. What a joke and a farce some of the ‘media’ have become with their fake & unreliable ‘news’ and ‘reporting’.

The latest report from 2 reporters who work for the Red Sox who own the Globe is behind a paywall. Does she quote any law enforcement officials? Headline says Federal. How about State?

Also, investigators dont always confirm who they are investigating. Plus the earlier report claimed the friend told the cops a box in the car was owned by Hanley and that box contained drugs.

I am not taking sides but I am not sure we know enough on either side to say whats up here. I do find it puzzling nobody has signed Hanley although that may be his choice.

I also was surprised at the timing of the release. He was crushing LHPers even when in his slump that started after being HBP, and he was one of their best clutch hitters. Certainly Moreland should have been playing more and Hanley might be unhappy, but thats what managers are paid to do, which is manage your players. Releasing players because you think he may be unhappy and not deal with it well is just not believable. Try it first.